Autel Robotics X-Star Premium Review

Autel Robotics X-Star Premium Drone Review

​

The Autel Robotics X-Star Premium drone has been on the market for a time now and is an enhanced version of the regular X-Star. It offers some great features and comes at quite a low price. Importantly, the drone features a 4K resolution camera that captures awesome pictures.

To make it even better for photography, the drone has GPS and GLONASS navigation systems available. These help to improve accuracy in flight. In addition, it is designed with the Starpoint Positioning System that helps keep it stable when in flight. That way, you will be able to take sharp pictures.

This review will cover everything you need to know about the drone and even compare it to the regular Autel Robotics X-Star.

In a hurry?

Click below to see the current price of the Autel Robotics X-Star Premium Drone on Amazon!

Packaging

The hard case is used to transport the drone. It is unavailable in the Autel X-Star.

​

Flying the Autel X-Star Premium

​

There is no assembly needed for this drone- you can fly it straight out of the box. Operating the gadget is quite simple. Like most other drones, the X-Star Premium has auto takeoff and auto landing functionalities.

One unique feature of the gadget is the SecureFly technology which helps the quadcopter fly back home safely. When the battery is low, the quadcopter will simply fly back home so you don’t drain the battery completely. That way, you will not lose the drone or have it fall from the sky. It is also designed with GPS and GLONASS navigation systems that ensure stable flying at all times. Even in areas with low signals, the drone will still be stable since it uses a dual navigation system.

If you are new to flying drones, this device will suit you perfectly. Besides the functions mentioned above, the gadget can be set to Beginner Mode. This will limit the speed and range of the drone, making it easier for you to learn how to operate it. Also, this will prevent you from losing the quadcopter.

You can fly the drone for a maximum of 25 minutes. This is quite long for such a large device. The drone can go as far as 1.2 miles away from the pilot. It will fly at its top speed when in ATTI mode, and this should be around 53 mph. In GPS mode, the gadget will be slightly slower.

Charging

​

The manufacturer creatively designed a charger that can power both the controller and the gadget at the same time. The quadcopter will get fully charged in about an hour. To prevent overheating, the charger has a cooling fan.

Autel Robotics X-Star Premium Drone with 4k Camera

​

The X-Star Premium comes with a 4K camera that can be used to take clear aerial photographs and videos. Photos can be taken at a resolution of 12 MP. The 108-degree FPV camera can take videos at these resolutions:

4K videos at 30 fps

2.7K at 60fps

1080p at 120fps

720p at 240fps

At 240fps, the video quality will be very slow. This website tries to elaborate the differences in these settings. You can read through it to learn how to choose a video setting for your drone.

All media in the X-Star Premium are saved in the 64-GB microSD card. Photographs are saved in JPG or DNG formats.

You can use the hovering button on the controller to hold the drone for sharp pictures. The gimbal and camera in this drone can easily be removed by pressing a button on the device. Then you can simply slide them off the quadcopter. With many competitor drones, you have to purchase a new device whenever a camera upgrade is available. The Autel Robotics X-Star Premium drone with 4K ultra hd camera is quite different as you only need to purchase the upgrade and install it on your quadcopter.

If you are not interested in taking pictures or watching the view from above, you can also remove the camera and enjoy flying a lighter quadcopter for a longer period of time.

To enjoy the first-person view, you will have to connect your smartphone to the controller. The images from the camera will be displayed on your phone. You will have to download the Autel Starlink app in order to enjoy this functionality. The Autel makes our list of the top drones with camera article. The Xstar is an excellent camera drone for aerial photography.

The Remote Controller

The quadcopter comes with a remote controller. It is designed with an LCD display screen where important information is displayed concerning the flight. On this screen, you will be able to check the altitude, remaining battery, AC’s orientation and range, among other details. This information will enable you to make better flying decisions, even if your phone shuts down.

Generally, the controller has an ergonomic design and feels comfortable in the hands. It has auto takeoff and auto landing buttons that make it easier to fly the quadcopter. Also, it features a hovering button and many important formats such as Orbit and Follow. You can connect the remote controller to your smartphone to make use of the FPV camera.

Design

The Autel Robotics X-Star Premium drone with 4K camera is well designed with an orange color. It is quite large and heavy, therefore not easy to transport. The device comes with a hard case to make transportation easier.

The advantage of its size and weight is the fact that you can fly it even in windy conditions. It may be moved slightly by the wind if you fly at very low speeds but will always re-adjust to the original position. That said, the drone tends to be unsteady when taking off and landing, particularly when launched from a surface. A slight breeze of wind is bound to make it topple over.

You can easily control this by launching and landing the drone on your hand.

In bad weather, the quadcopter will be a lot easier to watch since it is brightly colored. It is important to remember that the law requires you to keep drones in sight when flying them. The design of this drone allows you to fly it further away while still keeping it within your view.

Customer Support

​

All technological devices carry the risk of malfunction. That is why you need a dedicated team to offer support when something goes wrong. Autel Robotics has a helpful US based customer service team that will answer your queries on all days of the week and show you the way forward in case of any problems. You can access the reps via email, phone or live chat on the autel robotics website.

Pros of Autel Robotics X-Star Premium Drone

​

It has a 4K removable camera

It is easy to fly

It comes with a hard carrying case

It comes with a 64-GB microSD card for storage of photos and drone video

It uses GPS and GLONASS navigation systems to ensure stability

It has a sturdy design

The controller has an LCD screen that displays important information regarding your flight

It can fly for a maximum of 25 minutes

It flies back home when the battery is too low

​

Cons of Autel Robotics X-Star Premium Drone

It is large and heavy, therefore difficult to transport

​

Recap of Xstar Premium Quadcopter Specifications

​

Camera: 4k Ultra HD Camera and 12 megapixel photos

Gimbal: 3axis gimbal and camera

Flight Performance: Up to 25 minutes of flight time with obstacle avoidance and autonomous flight controls. Easy to fly the drone especially in calm weather conditions.

Flight Modes: GPS flight controls

Battery life: The 4900 mAh Lipo battery can keep the Xtar in the air for 25 minutes and has critical flight low battery fail-safe.

Return to Home: In case of emergency or low battery the drone will return to home.

Autel Robotics X-Star vs. Autel Robotics X-Star Premium

​

Autel X-Star Premium Autel X-Star

It goes without saying that these drones are designed by the same manufacturer. However, the regular X-Star lacks certain features that are available in the premium device.

First, the maximum range and video transmission distance is much shorter in the regular device. With the X-Star Premium drone, you will be able to control the device from a distance of up to 1.2 miles. The regular X-Star can only fly to a maximum distance of 0.62 miles.

Also, the media storage capacity of the two devices vary considerably. The premium gadget can carry 64-GB of data while the regular device can only handle 16-GB.

Finally, the X-Star Premium drone comes with a protective carrying case. This is not available with the regular device.

That said, the two drones have a lot in common. They are both equipped with 4K cameras that can send live feeds to your smartphone app. The two are also available in orange colors for better visibility in unpleasant weather. Also, they are both designed with GPS and GLONASS navigation systems for better stability in all areas. Charging time and flight time are also the same in both drones.

Because of the amazing upgrades we would still go for the premium drone.

Autel Robotics X-Star Premium Price ?

If you can get the X-Star for below $800 dollars you are getting good deal. Click below to check the current price of Autel Robotics X-Star:

Autel Robotics X-Star Premium Drone Review: Conclusion

X-Star by Autel Robotics is one of the top xstar drones on the market right now. It has all the best features available in such devices and is currently competing with the biggest names in the industry. The drone would best suit photographers since it is designed with an amazing camera. Its flight time is also long enough for anyone to take perfect photos and videos. If you need steady pictures, you can simply hold the drone over a single position so you can take sharp pictures. This drone gives the DJI phantom drones a run for their money.

RC Hobby Review is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com